28th Nov 2019, 3:16 PM – Representatives Motions - Prime Minister - Suspend the usual rules

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Grayndler MP Anthony Albanese (Labor), which means it failed. The motion was to suspend the usual procedural rules - known as standing orders - so that a vote can take place.

Motion text

That so much of standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving immediately:

That the House:

(1) notes that this week:

(a) detectives from the NSW Police Force's State Crime Command Financial Crimes Squad launched Strike Force Garrad to investigate whether the Minister for Emissions Reduction committed a crime;

(b) the Prime Minister refused to stand down the Minister while the subject of a criminal investigation notwithstanding the Ministerial Standards;

(c) the Prime Minister called the NSW Police Commissioner and discussed the nature, substance and instigation of the criminal investigation;

(d) former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, former NSW ICAC Commissioner David Ipp QC, and former NSW ICAC Counsel Assisting Geoffrey Watson SC have criticised the Prime Minister's call;

(e) the Prime Minister misled the House while defending the deliberate misleading of the House by the Minister and refused to apologise and correct the record; and

(f) the Prime Minister failed to answer questions about his conduct, or the conduct of the Minister, and prevented Parliament debating this scandal 20 times; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to:

(a) acknowledge the Minister for Emissions Reduction deliberately misled the House;

(b) acknowledge the Prime Minister's decision to call the NSW Police Commissioner was inappropriate;

(c) correct the record in person and apologise for misleading the House on Wednesday;

(d) correct the record in person and apologise for misleading the House today by claiming the Opposition voted against the second reading of the Defence Service Homes Amendment Bill 2019 when it supported it;

(e) undertake to fully cooperate with the NSW Police Force criminal investigation; and

(f) stand down the Minister for Emissions Reduction.